Last
by Aquarius Galuxy
Summary: .Vignette. Mariah wonders about her feelings for Ray. What is love, and does he harbour the same sentiments? ReiMao


Yup, I'm finally back in this fandom, though just for one last fic. Heh, it's pretty obvious that writers and reviewers alike have left the fandom.

Anyway, to those who've been requesting for _Unbreakable Bonds_ to be completed, I'm stating here that it will not be. I'm really sorry about this, 'cause for one, my writing style has changed, and for another, I can't think of a proper conclusion for that series.

… Taking a short trip around the Just-In page, I can't help but see too many fics screaming, "Don't read me, plz!" A couple of fics or so have got my reviews, but the rest… Here're some suggestions, if you want to improve your reader count, and your writing standards. Honestly speaking, I don't have time to go around reviewing everything.  
1- "I suck at summaries" generally means that you don't quite know what your exact plot is. Either that, or you're not putting in the effort to come up with a sensible outline. And either way, it bears badly on your writing and fic.  
2- Use the Spell-check function on MS Word, if you have it. And do read it through. "Bare" can become "bear", and Spell-check wouldn't be any the wiser.  
3- Try not to use one-liners for every paragraph. Fill your dialogues up with descriptions! Details! Your readers may not know what you've pictured yourself.

And with that done, on with the fic! Beyblade does not belong to me.

**Last  
By Aquarius Galuxy **

White gold beams slanted between the canopy-lined path that kept just above a bubbling stream, glinting off the slick contours of the water's surface like a display lamp's luminescence on silver-plated jewellery. Strands of dark pink fluttered in the wind as a head tipped back.

In an hour's time, it would be dark.

Amber eyes wandered over the inconsistent meld of grass and eddies on the opposite bank, over the blurred shapes of angular stones beneath the glassy surface. A slight grimace pulled on the corners of full lips, causing them to thin.

Mariah leaned back on her outstretched arms, pink-sheathed feet propped near the base of the raised grassy bank. Tendrils of rose-coloured locks curled against her back, swaying lightly in the breeze.

In an hour's time, she would have to return home, to where Lee and Gary and Kevin were. To where Ray would be.

Pale coral lips parted in a deep sigh. The utterance was barely masked by the gurgling of water over rocks, by the calls of wild creatures returning to roost. Gold-flecked eyes blinked twice, before coasting upwards, to the sky. But there weren't any answers to be found amongst the white wisps of clouds tinged with straw.

It hurt to think of him sometimes.

All it took was a thought in his direction to draw his face into sight. A little probing, and she could hear his voice. Perhaps, if she wanted, she could imagine the touch of his skin, but that was too much to bear on most counts.

Slender fingers curled into short tufts of verdant grass. Amber eyes lowered themselves to the surreal rays that fell between tall, straight shadows, tracing fine gossamer threads of woven gold. The sun crawled ever nearer towards the misty mountains that concealed the horizon.

She took her lower lip between her teeth. It wasn't so much the question of whether she felt something for him, as _what_ she felt. And what did she feel for the raven-haired man, really?

A soft tenderness radiated deep within her chest when she thought of him as he was, as someone who had been by her side for a large part of her life, as someone who had taught her to beyblade. More importantly, he had taught her to stand up for herself. Perhaps it was a sort of eternal gratitude that had led to her attraction.

But did she love him? When she was so used to his presence that there were too many things about him she accepted and liked, did it count as love? When she knew for a fact that his mingling arrogance and humility made him all the more dear to her, did it mean that there was more to how she felt?

When she wanted to share in his joy and pain, as much as it was a cliché? When all she cared about was his happiness?

Smooth eyelids closed over tawny depths. She lifted her countenance as her lips separated in an extended intake of breath, allowing golden rays to illuminate her face. Feathery wings fluttered noisily overhead.

One thing was for certain, though. She lusted after the man as well, desired his bare skin against hers. It was a little distracting to watch him train sometimes, because the raw heat of arousal could hardly be halted when it surged upon her with scarcely a warning.

Slight tremors raced across her skin, paying no heed to the sunlight's warmth. She brushed a hand across her upper arm. A wild rabbit sprung away in the distance, as if it had suddenly spied on a predator.

Infatuation was out of the question, definitely. There was hardly an indication of the infamous blushes and stammering when she talked to Ray, though the occasional intense gaze he cast her way did send her heart pounding. With hope, maybe? She didn't know.

Was she obsessed about him, though? When she couldn't help thinking of him, couldn't help remembering – and wanting to remember – his actions, did her attraction count as an unhealthy one? Did it even matter? She could almost hear his voice, see his smile.

It hurt, sometimes, not to be allowed in his embrace. The sting weighed heavier on her heart because he probably didn't feel the same way in return, probably would not see her as anything more than a friend. But, God, did she want him to.

Mariah bit her lower lip again, acutely aware that her emotions were running high. They were almost too hard to restrain at times… Would it really help if she told him how she felt, if just to ease the dull ache in her chest?

Pale salmon pink crossed the sky on the underside of a thin scattering of clouds. The same tint of damask, barely a shade darker, glinted off the smooth surface of the stream, amidst a mix of rich sapphire and gold. Lengthened shadows consumed a larger part of the woods, expanding the territory of nighttime creatures.

Leaves rustled quietly behind her, closely followed by the snap of a twig.

She felt the swift pressure of her heart as it gave a harsh pound, startling her more than she dared to reveal. In such cases… She would stand her ground. There probably wasn't anyone dangerous around this area. Nothing had changed with this sudden presence. The trees still stood tall, and the shadows were brimming with the life of woodland creatures.

A short draw of breath later, she turned, casually, not quite knowing what to do with her emotions when a figure made his way out from between the trees, golden eyes catching the sun's beams.

"Hey there, Ray," she ventured, allowing a small smile to twitch her lips upward. Light chased the dimness away from his form, dancing gracefully over the creases of his clothes. Perhaps it wasn't wise to let their gazes hold, but she was never shy around him these days. It didn't make sense to be.

His presence had reduced the heaviness in her heart to a nagging discomfort, but it weighed on her mind nonetheless. If she told him, would the consequences be difficult to deal with?

"Hey, Mariah," he replied, making his way over. It wasn't surprising when he lowered himself onto the grass next beside her, propping an arm on his knee as he glanced towards the opposite bank. Small flocks of birds retired from the red-orange sky, into the dark canopy. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as his amber orbs gained a captivating shade of reddish-gold in the sunlight. "You've been looking a little troubled lately. Is anything the matter?"

She froze at the question. Her heart started to pound, almost too slowly. _How long had he known? _

Tawny eyes blinked thrice in quick succession. The joints in her neck felt too stiff to turn. Perhaps, she was unconsciously resisting the urge to look at him. But this opportunity to voice her sentiments was as good as any other. And if he thought it so unthinkable that he would consider ending their relationship?

No, Ray would not do that. He treasured close friendships, and she knew that she was as important to him as he to her, or at least, to that rough extent. At the very worst, he would put her down lightly, but never would he turn and run. Why had she doubted his reaction so?

It was probable, then, that her sudden anxiety was born of anticipation, of how exactly he would react. Mariah drew a breath, exhaled. Waiting would only tighten her nerves.

"Actually, yeah." Their gazes held firmly now. She studied his questioning gaze for a moment. And after a pause, "I like you."

It was all she could do to prevent her eyes from skittering away, though for a couple of seconds, she glanced past his shoulder. The perfect arc of glowing ember slipped a little further behind the mountains.

She continued, a little faster now, "I've told you once before, Ray, a long time ago. You might've forgotten it by now."

Something flickered in his golden eyes, and she blinked, uncertain of what she caught. Tension unwound slowly in her nerves. There wasn't much she could do, other than to await his surprise, or perhaps his gentle refusal. The shadows on his countenance deepened with each passing moment. It was getting harder to read his expression; her gaze shifted from one eye to the other.

A slight movement caught her attention. He lifted his hand, bringing it towards her face, before cupping her cheek lightly. Warmth emanated from his rough palm, seeping into her skin. Still he remained silent.

She felt her breaths shorten, felt her heart thump harder against her ribs. Was this a good sign, then? Why was he taking so long to reply? She drew her tongue against her lower lip, but the single action, amongst none other, heightened her self-consciousness instead. His attention shifted briefly to her lips, before returning to her eyes.

The tip of his thumb feathered across her skin, scattering warmth and tingles into her cheek. "I like you a lot as well, Mariah."

Suddenly this seemed almost too surreal, for them to be in such close proximity, for his voice to wash over her ears soothingly, for his musky scent to slip around her. She blinked.

The corners of his lips quirked. "You've always struck me as a good friend, and perhaps something more."

It was a mixture of joy and uncertainty that edged along her heart. Was she ready for a relationship? Without the correct elements, that would fail, and… She wasn't sure if she was ready for one. In spite of her doubt, a half-smile crept along her lips at his response.

"Will… will it really work between us?" she asked, her voice soft. The reddish glow of sunset drenched everything in a rosy hue – the trees, the sky, the clouds.

"I hope so," he murmured, just loud enough so she could hear. There was a certain tenderness in his expression that made her heart quicken. "If we tried hard enough, I'm sure it will."

The man shifted over, in a light rustle of grass that was lost to the gurgling stream. Her breath caught in anticipation. She had longed to feel his warmth against her… It didn't matter that he was almost moving too slowly, because few things – or people – could stop them now, and, chances were, they would not.

His hand tightened slightly over her cheek. Out of surprise, her eyes widened, only to be followed by the slight parting of her lips as he tilted her face to his. It was a heady moment before his shadowed countenance came so close to hers that all she could see were his golden eyes, pupils dilated, before those, too, became a blur. Her eyelids slipped almost shut.

Soft, velvety warmth touched her lips, almost hesitantly, before it pressed closer in a chaste kiss. She responded, just as his breath fell against her skin. Her heart throbbed. The fluttering in her chest occupied part of her awareness, as did the lazy heat thrumming along her nerves. But he pulled away moments later, a hair's breadth from her skin.

Confused, her eyes sprung open. She felt, more than saw, his lips curve in a smile. What did that mean? Before she could utter a sound, his lips slanted over hers again, hungrily this time. The sudden roughness incited a matching desire in her veins, that sent her pressing closer to him, if just to satisfy the banked want she had barely suppressed.

His moist lips slid against hers, parting as he grazed her lower lip with his teeth. Her heart missed a beat. Somehow, her hand had found its way to the collar of his shirt, curling slender fingers over smooth fabric. She wanted him closer… Wet, silky heat entered her mouth. For a moment, she stilled, but the sheer sensuality of the action drew a gasp from her lips. Shivers raced down her spine; she whimpered.

Ray pulled away then, leaving her breathing heavily, eyes shuttered.

Dark shadows fell around them, casting a shroud around the forest that seemed almost eerie. The stream was a navy rush of ribbons that caught the occasional sparkle. Cicadas were springing to life with their jarring melodies, to accompany the bubbling water.

She looked to him in question, and he chuckled low in his throat, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingers. "We'll make this last, yeah?"

With a soft laugh, she nodded, her unease slipping away.

-X-

And yes, that's the end of the fic.

Mariah's thinking a little too much in this one, I think. ;P

If you're wondering about when Mariah confessed to Ray, I was referring to the Japanese version of Season One, where Mariah told Ray she loved him (I think), and he told her in return that he could feel it wherever he went. ;D

Merry Christmas to all, reviewers and non-reviewers alike! (And to the people who remember me from years ago, if you're reading this, give a shout-out!)

**Edit:** There's another version of this fic here, with less descriptions, http_(colon-slash-slash)_aquarius_(hyphen)_galuxy_(dot)_livejournal_(dot)_com_(slash)_365886_(dot)_html Opinions on which you like more?


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